Jharkhand govt launches 38-day male sterilisation drive

Ranchi, Nov 13 (PTI) The Jharkhand government on Thursday launched a male sterilisation drive to create awareness about birth-control measures.

State Health Minister Irfan Ansari said the vasectomy campaign will continue till December 20.

“The drive aims to create awareness on male sterilisation across the state,” Ansari said.

Ansari said the state government had launched a 17-day blood donation drive on Wednesday, with Chief Minister Hemant Soren and Chief Secretary Avinash Kumar donating blood to encourage people for the campaign.

He also said a probe is underway into alleged irregularities at a blood bank in Chaibasa, where HIV-infected blood was reportedly transfused to five children suffering from thalassemia.

“I have adopted all the five affected children and will bear the cost of their treatment. The guilty in the case will not be spared,” Ansari said.

He also appealed to the people to donate blood without any fear.

“We will soon install hi-tech blood testing machines in hospitals and medical colleges,” the minister added. PTI SAN RBT